Cassell Coliseum
Cassell Coliseum is a basketball arena in Blacksburg, Virginia, home of the Virginia Tech Hokies (ACC, NCAA Division I). It opened in 1962, making it 64 years old in 2026 and seats 10,052 for basketball. It ranks 10th of 18 in the ACC by capacity.
Its record crowd is 11,500 vs. Purdue (1966). The closest NBA arena is Spectrum Center in Charlotte, about 140 miles away.
Arena facts
- Location
- Blacksburg, Virginia
- Home of
- Virginia Tech Hokies
- School
- Virginia Tech
- Conference
- ACC
- Opened
- 1962
- Capacity
- 10,052
- Former names
- VPI Coliseum (1962–1977)
- Record crowd
- 11,500 vs. Purdue (1966)
- Also home to
- Virginia Tech Hokies women's basketball
Virginia Tech Hokies wrestling
Virginia Tech Hokies volleyball - Size rank in D-I
- 92nd of 360
Famous games at Cassell Coliseum
- Jan. 3, 1962: Virginia Tech christens the unfinished building by beating Alabama 91-67, with fans sitting on bare concrete risers because the seats had not arrived.
- Dec. 3, 1966: An overflow crowd of 11,500, the building's largest ever, packs in for Virginia Tech's game against Purdue.
- Jan. 10, 1983: Virginia Tech beats No. 1 Memphis State 69-56 for the program's first win over a top-ranked team.
- Jan. 13, 2007: The Hokies lead by as many as 29 and hold off No. 1 North Carolina 94-88.
- Feb. 26, 2011: Virginia Tech upsets No. 1 Duke 64-60, Seth Greenberg's fourth win over a top-ranked team.
- Feb. 26, 2019: No. 20 Virginia Tech knocks off No. 3 Duke 77-72.
Game night
Tradition. The student section is known as the "Cassell Guard."
Seating & views at Cassell Coliseum
Cassell is a steep, close-in bowl under laminated wood roof arches, now seating 8,925 for basketball after wider padded seats replaced much of the original 1962 wooden seating from the portals down to the floor. Fans enter from a concourse and walk up or down to their section, and the top rows are a climb. The Cassell Guard student section stands behind one basket all game. Upper corner seats sold by the team are the value play.
Parking & tailgating at Cassell Coliseum
For home basketball games the public parks in the Stadium Lot (Lot 2) and the Chicken Hill Lot (Lot 5) on the far side of Lane Stadium, about a 10-minute walk. Lots 1, 4 and 8 near the arena are reserved for Hokie Club permit holders, and accessible parking is in the Coliseum Lot. Parking elsewhere on campus needs a Virginia Tech permit or payment through ParkMobile. Virginia Tech encourages riding Blacksburg Transit to games.
Plan your trip to Cassell Coliseum
Arenas near Cassell Coliseum10
- 1D-IDedmon Center — Radford Highlanders 11 mi
- 2D-ICameron Hall — VMI Keydets 65 mi
- 3D-ILiberty Arena — Liberty Flames 69 mi
- 4D-ILawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum — Wake Forest Demon Deacons 81 mi
- 5D-ICorbett Sports Center — North Carolina A&T Aggies 86 mi
- 6D-IFirst Horizon Coliseum — UNC Greensboro Spartans 86 mi
- 7G LeagueNovant Health Fieldhouse — Greensboro Swarm 87 mi
- 8D-INido & Mariana Qubein Arena and Conference Center — High Point Panthers 88 mi
- 9D-ISchar Center — Elon Phoenix 92 mi
- 10D-IGeorge M. Holmes Convocation Center — Appalachian State Mountaineers 99 mi
Questions about Cassell Coliseum
Where do the Virginia Tech Hokies play home games?
The Virginia Tech Hokies play at Cassell Coliseum in Blacksburg, Virginia.
How many people does Cassell Coliseum hold?
Cassell Coliseum seats 10,052 for basketball.
When did Cassell Coliseum open?
Cassell Coliseum opened in 1962.
What is the attendance record at Cassell Coliseum?
The record crowd at Cassell Coliseum is 11,500 vs. Purdue (1966).
What other arenas are near Cassell Coliseum?
Dedmon Center in Radford is about 11 miles away. See the full list of nearby arenas on this page.
Facts are for the 2026–27 season. Distances are straight-line miles between city centers. Capacity figures vary by source. See something wrong? Let us know. Is this your arena? Get the “Listed on Hoops Arenas” badge for your website.